Three things that are common throughout all of my work is an attention to form, a sense of playfulness, and a central interest in people. My work takes either an experimental approach or a narrative approach.

In my narrative work, I try to create a heightened reality while remaining grounded in my character’s development. Story format and structure pushes my characters towards internal transformation. While considering my actors I incorporate ways for them to make discoveries within the context of what I need for storytelling. It is important to keep performers open to a state of play and discovery. 

‘Experimental film’ is a phrase that seems to mean so many things that it effectively means nothing at all. By experimental film I am referring to actual experimentation. I conceive of video processes that may or may not work. Examples of my video experiments would include: running photographs in rapid succession in order to deconstruct the illusion of movement; printing every frame of my video in order to manipulate the image in various ways before scanning it back in sequence; or experimenting with 20 second pieces for use in a kinetoscope. Sometimes I use the discoveries that I have made into works of their own or, if I am unhappy with the results, I discard my conceived method completely. 

I began fostering this experimental approach to film making early on as an undergraduate at the University of Colorado. There Stan Brakhage encouraged me to look beyond the content embedded in the structural language of a film and direct my eye towards the form and substance– the actual light – of the work. Perhaps it’s impossible to completely separate the content from the medium but this attitude has opened me up to an experimental mentality where I am able to enjoy discoveries based entirely on form. 

In addition, I believe that the viewer’s role of determining meaning is a vital part in enjoying art. If meaning is over managed by the artist, the viewer may be reduced to a simple receiver of messages, in which case the vitality of the viewing experience is diminished and it ceases to be communal. This is something that I try to consider whether or not I am making something abstract or narrative.